Clasp for garments.



H. A. MAXWELL.

CLASP FOR GABMENTS.

(Application filed N06. 8, 1899.)

Patanted Aug. l4, I900.

(No Model.)

WI T IEE EIEE.

mete rarns ATENT m tes.

HERBERT A. MAXWELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO THOMAS \V. HERRICK AND GEORGE F. FARYVELL, OF SAME PLACE.

CLASP FOR GARMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,882, dated August 14;, 1900. Application filed November 8,1899. Serial No. 736,239. (No model.)

To all whom it *may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT A. MAXWELL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring-clasps, and

finally, to provide a strong and light device formed of wire in which the parts are so connected as to render the swinging member spring-actuated, and thereby dispense with a separate spring, which is liable to become broken and displaced.

WVith these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as Will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of the present spring-clasp in its open position. Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modified form of the clasp. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the form of clasp shown in Fig. 1, showing the same applied to support a garment. Fig. 4.- is a plan View of Fig. 1 with the swinging member opened into the plane of the back or body member to illnstrate the manner of forming the spring tension for said swinging member.

Oorrespondin g parts are designated by like characters of reference in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen or frame.

that the present clasp consists of a back or body member B and a swinging member F, each of which is formed of a single length of spring-wire, so as to provide a strong and light article.

As indicated in Fig. l of the drawings, the back or body member is in the form of a substantially-rectangular loop, the opposite ends of the wire being bent laterally inward in opposite directions, as at D, to form one end of the frame of the body, said ends being inclosed within a suitable sleeve E to connect the same and form a rigid frame. The opposite transverse end A of the frame is elongated and bent intermediate of its ends into a longitudinally-disposed loop Ct, the sides of which are arranged close together, and the loop itself is disposed in the plane of the back At the corners, between the opposite sides of the frame and the inner transverse end A, the wire is bent or twisted into the opposite bearing-eyes O, which are formed by a plurality of closely-twisted coils, the

pitch or inclination of the opposite coils being inwardly, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so that the outer ends or faces of the eyes form oppositely-disposed cam-faces for a purpose as will be hereinafter explained.

The swinging member F is substantially U -shaped and has its opposite-ends bent transversely inward in opposite directions,

so as to form the pivot-pinsf, which are entered into the respective nearing-eyes (G from the outer sides thereof. To enter these pivots within the eyes, the opposite sides of the frame of the swinging member are sprung apart, so that when the pivots are in position they are conveniently held against accidental displacement by the tension of the spring sides or arms of the frame.

By reference to Fig. i it will be seen that when the swinging member is drawn away from the back or body member upon their hinged or pivotal connection the opposite sides of the swinging member will slide across the outer inclined or cam faces of the respective bearing-eyes, and thereby will be forced apart, so that the tendency of these spring sides or arms is to draw inwardly in opposite directions, which will rock the swinging member inwardly against the back or body member without the aid of a separate spring.

In using the clasp as indicated in Fig. 3 a suspending-strap D has its lower end passed through the two members from the rear side of the clasp, thence looped around the outer free transverse end of the swinging member, and finally rearwardly across the inner side of the outer end of the back or body and outwardly across the outer side of the adjacent portion of the strap. By this arrangement the suspending-strap is looped around. the free end of the swinging member and any weight or tension placed upon the clasp will draw the swinging member tightly against the back or body, and thereby firmly clamp the suspending-strap between the two members of the clasp. The article to be supported as, forinstance, a stockingis drawn into the loop a in the ordinary manner.

The modified form of the clasp shown in Fig. 2 merely dispenses with the elongated garment-engaging loop CL and has the inner end A extended straight across the frame, so that a strap or other article may be looped over the end bar or otherwise secured thereto.

It will of course be understood that the position of the clasp may be changed, that shown in Fig. 3 being the position of a stocking-supporter whereby the free end of the suspending-strap D may be drawn upon to adjust the height of the clasp to accommodate the garter to different persons. By inverting the clasp the end A or the loop a may be engaged with a hook or nail, so as to suspend the device from a support, as a wall, in order that a towel or other article may be suspended from the clasp and the loop a may be engaged with a button of the clothing or a belt, so as to hold a napkin or other article.

As plainly indicated in Fig. 3, the rear side of the clasp is entirely free from projections, which would annoy or injure the person of the wearer, and this advantage is accomplished by projecting the bearing-eyes entirely upon the outer side of the back or body and disposing the swinging member entirely upon the outer side of the device; also, the two members are of substantially the same size, so that they do not project one beyond the other, but close against each other in substantially the same compass. Moreover, the

clasp is composed of but two members,which are conveniently hinged together, so as to place a spring tension upon the swinging member without the employment of a separate spring.

Having thus described the invention,what

is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A spring-clasp comprising a pair of pivotally or hingedly connected and mutually coacting members,each of which is formed from a single piece of spring-wire,the fixed member having a cross-bar at its inner end, and coils formed at the opposite ends of the cross-bar, which coils provide laterally-alined bearingeyes, the pitch of the coils being oppositely inclined and forming cam-faces upon the opposite ends of the eyes, and the swinging member being of substantially U shape, the opposite sides of which form spring-arms,and have their outer ends bent laterally forming oppositely-directed terminal pivots or spindles, the latter being sprung into the respective eyes from the cam ends thereof, and the spring -arms having a frictional swinging movement across the cam faces or ends of the respective bearing-eyes,whereby the arms are sprung and a spring tension is placed upon the swinging member, the latter being normally held thereby in contact with the fixed member.

2. A spring-clasp comprising a pair of pivotally or hingedly connected and mutually c0- acting skeleton members, eachof which is formed from a single piece of spring-wire, the fixed member being of angular shape, and having an inner end cross bar, and coils formed in the opposite sides of the member and located in the inner corners thereof at the opposite ends of the inner end cross-bar, said coils providing opposite laterally-alined bearing-eyes located wholly upon the outer side of the member, the pitch of the coils being inwardly in opposite directions and form ing cam-faces upon the outer ends of the bearing-eyes,aud the swinging member being of substantially U shape, the opposite sides of which form spring-arms, and have their outer ends bent laterally inward in opposite directions forming terminal lateral pivots or spindles, the latter being sprung into the respective bearing-eyes from the outer sides thereof, and the spring-arms having a frictional swinging movement across the outer cam ends of the bearing-eyes,whereby the arms are sprung apart and a spring tension is placed upon the swinging member, the lat ter being normally held thereby in contact with the fixed member.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT A. MAXWELL.

WVitnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, T. W. HERRICK. 

